Apparatus for determining the percentage of lime in materials.



M. 0. REICHE.

APPARATUS EoR DETERMINING THE PERCENTAGE 0E LIME IN MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. B. 1913.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

hun sra'rns rafrnnr orties.,

MAX O. REICHE, OE MILWAUKEE, IISCONSIN.

APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE PERCENTAGE 0F LIME 11W-MATERIALS.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, MAX O. REICHE, a subjectof the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, havey invented new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Determiningthe' Percentage o't Lime inMaterials, of which the following is a description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for determining thepercentage of lime in materials and more particularly in soils.

It is of great advantage to the farmer to understand the nature of thesoil of his farm in Order to regulate the fertility and productivenessof the soil to get the maximum results.

Carbonate of lime existing in fertile soils is a most important factorin releasing latent plant food such as potash, phosphoric acid andnitrates, and also improves the texture of the soil, making light soilsmore ycompact and heavy soils more porous. The lime also correctsacidity and provides favorable conditions for germ life and also servesto destroy toxins or poisons which retard or prohibit plant growth. Itis, therefore, of the greatest importance for any farmer to be able totest his soil and to determine whether or not the soil contains a properpercentage of lime to promote the maximum plant growth withoutimpoverishing the soil and interfering with its future productiveness.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide an apparatus fordetermining the percentage of lime in soils and other materials wherebya person unskilled in chemistry may accurately determine the percentagewithin a few minutes time and in a very simple manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus fordetermining the percentage of lime in materials which is of very simpleconstruction and consists of the minimum number of parts.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved apparatus for determining the percentage of lime in materialsand its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and allequivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference charactersindicate the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application led March 8, 1913. Serial No. 752,952.

same parts in all of the views: Figure l is a vertical sectional view ofthe improved app aratus for determining the percentage of limeinmaterials; Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 2 2 of F ig.1; and Fig. 3 is a modified form of apparatus.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 5 indicates the gas generatingreceptacle or vessel of the improved apparatus which may be formed ofglass or any other material desired and is provided with a chargingopening 6 and an opening 7 through which extends the graduated gas tubeor measuring device 8. The charging opening is provided with a rubberstopper 8 having an angular rod 9 extending therethrough which isprovided with a flattened portion 10 for holding the small cup 11thereon. The upper end of the arm is bent at right angles to form aturning arm 12 fer the rod. The rod extends into the receptacle to alpoint approximately one half the height of the receptacle ed totemporarily holdthe cup while the receptacle is beingfhermeticallysealed by' means of the stopper 8.

The graduated tube extends through a rubber stopper 13 which is insertedin the tube opening 7 and the upper enlarged portion l'having a seriesofgraduations 14 delineated thereon which indicate the columnar' heightof the water and the percentage of lime in a given quantity4 ofmaterial.

The upper end of the tube is open and is provided with a funnel shapedenlargement 15 for convenience in pouring water or diluted acid into thetube. The lower end portion of the tube extends at right angles with adouble curve in the horizontal portion to form a water trap 16 toprevent the escape of gas through the tube and also to prevent the tubeclogging up with the material being tested. The lower open end 17 of thetube is beveled olf to prevent the entrance of gas which is beinggenerated at the bottom portion of the receptacle. A graduation mark14.- is delineated on the tube to indicate the height for filling withwater or diluted acid.

In the modified form the graduated tube 18 is positioned entirelyoutside of the receptacle 19 and is in communication therewith throughthe opening 2O provided in the upper side portion of the receptacle.From this opening the tube extends down- Wardly to a bend 21 inalinement with the bottom portion of the receptacle and then extendsupwardly and is shaped and graduated in the same manner as the tubefirst mentioned.

In use the receptacle is charged with a predetermined amount oit'diluted hydrochloric acid and the cup is filled with twenty grams ot'air dry earth or other material and placed on the iiattened portion ofthe angular rod. The rotL and cup are then inserted into the receptacleand the receptacle is hermetically sealed by the stopper which holds therod. Water or diluted acid is now poured into the funnel of the tubeuntil the tube is filled up to the first graduation mark and the cup ofearth is then upset into the water and the hydrochloric' acid Within thereceptacle by turn ing the rod so that the cup will strike against theside wall of the receptacle and upset the cup. The soil or othermaterial will. become disintegrated by Contact with the hydro-chloricacid and a carbonio acid gas will be developed from the carbonate oflime ci the soil through the counter-action of the hydro-chloric acid.The resultant gas will exert a pressure on the Water or diluted acid andraise the water level in the tube to register the percentage of limeindicated by the test.

The apparatus is designed to register 4one-tenth to one per cent. oflime in soils,

and as four-tenths of one per cent. of lime in ordinary soil isconsidered a suiiicient quantity for an average productiveness thegraduation indicating this point on the tube is formed of a distinctivecolor, such as red, to enable the person using the apparatus to quicklysee whether or not the soil is provided with the proper percentage oflime.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the apparatus iswell adapted for the purpose desired. Y

What I claim as my invention is:

l. Apparatus for determining the percentage of lime in materials,comprising a gas generating receptacle having a charging openingprovided therein, a graduated gas indicating tube connected to saidreceptacle, a vstopper for the charging opening, a cup holder carriedthereby, and a cup carried by the holder.

2. Apparatus for determining the percentage of lime in materials,comprising` a gas generating receptacle having a charging openingprovided therein, a graduated gas indicating tube connected to thereceptacle and extending therein to a point adjacent to the bottomportion of said receptacle, said tube having a gas sealing trap providedat its lower end portion, a stopper for the charging opening, a cupholder extending through the stopper, and a cup for the holder which maybe moved t0 discharge its contents into the receptacle when the stopperis covering the charging opening.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of-twowitnesses.

MAX O. REICHE.

VVitnesse's:

C. H. KEENEY, EMLY Scrrowan'rnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe f Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

